Liquor, cigarette brands may be allowed to air ad on TV

The committee on surrogate advertising, formed by Prasar Bharati, has recommended that ad of genuine products under liquor or tobacco brand names should be permitted to air their ads on TV.

The recommendation is with the I&B ministry, which will take a final view. The committee has clarified that if there are no genuine products and the advertisement is aiding brand recall by a mere depiction of the brand logo, then the surrogate advertising band would apply.

This recommendation comes as solace to liquor and tobacco companies, which had to take off their ads from all TV channels following the September ban on direct advertising of liquor and tobacco brands.